The Paines of a Heart
by Painalaized Rippals
Summary: Baralai and Paine have a good thing going, but will it last? R&R Please. First chapter joint with my Rippal fic, In Vino Veritas. Please don't Read unless you Review...


Drink to UnLove

**A/N: Cheesy chapter name... I know... Sorry couldn't think... one more thing this will also start my new fanfic**

**The Paine's of a Heart**

**so check it out...**

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As Baralai sat in one of the bars Luca he sighed. It'd been the first time he'd been out of Bevelle for months. The young Praetor had needed time to think. What about could be one of two things: 

New Yevon, and how difficult it was to run it

_or_

Paine, and the feelings he had for her, but the way he couldn't spend time with her because of his difficult to run job.

He had been tortured day and night by how he was forced to run the chaotic affairs of New Yevon. The way they quarreled with the Youth League and how they hid Vegnagun from the world. He was tired, but everyday when he retired to his room he found a foot-high stack of paperwork. Every night he hardly got sleep because he was also thinking of Paine. Her stoic, hardened, gloomy expression would usually dissuade other men, but he found himself attracted to her more. A while back he asked her out and they had a good thing going, but problems were beginning to brew.

When Gippal asked if he wanted to grab a drink he was glad for the vacation.

"So how's the Machine Faction?" asked Baralai to his old Crimson Squad comrade.

"Eh. It's never been better. Buncha shipments from Bikanel gone smooth," replies the blonde Al Bhed.

"So why'd you need a talk?"

Baralai already expects the reason, but asks anyways. His friend has had problems restraining himself from Rikku and how he whines about how hot and sexy she is. Baralai himself can't find why she's so cute. But he listens intently anyways as his friend pours his feelings out. Gippal also talks about what happened a few hours ago at the Dig Site. He goes on for a good 45 minutes or so. Eventually he comes to question that surprises the Praetor...

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**(Changing views from Baralai to Gippal)**

"How goes yours and Paine's relationship?" Gippal asks, watching Baralai squirm like a worm on a hook.

Gippal grins after he's popped the question (A/N: Sorry thought the "popping-the-question" bit was funny). He looks over to his drinking partner as the man turns red with embarrassment.

"Errr... uhhh... ummm... it's... OK..." replies the New Yevon regaining his composure.

"You should fix things with her you know..."

"Shut up. What about you and Rikku, huh? I don't remember you declaring your profound love for your beloved admiree." **(A/N: So I made up a word.. SHUT UP!)**

"You and your big words."

"Ha! My big words are the only way to shut you up."

"Yeah, yeah. You can stop bragging now. It also gets on my nerves," retorts Gippal taking a shot of some deep dark blue drink. "Wow this stuff is good. Hey Bartender, get me another shot of this stuff."

"Yessir," replies the bartender happily. The man pulls out a bottle full of sapphire liquid and pours a hearty amount into another shot glass. He slides across the counter towards Gippal, who catches it, throws his head back, and tosses it down his throat.

"Hey ready to go?" asks a voice from behind Gippal.

"Yeah," replies Baralai grinning at the face of a shocked buddy.

"And were are you goin'?" He looks behind him and finds Paine, dark as ever. She had, however traded in her leather pants for a silky long skirt.

"We're... uh... goin to this new club in Bevelle. It's just a grand opening thing." After hearing Baralai hear this Paine is biting her inside cheek. She wants to smack him so hard. _Just a grand opening thing?_ But she gets over it and puts on one of her malevolent smirks.

"Oh... It's alright. I'm gonna get goin' anyways. Right after another shot of this stuff of course." Like clockwork another blue filled shot glass is rolled over towards him by the bartender.

"Alright. Give a call again soon."

"Yeah, and make sure you hurry up and tell Rikku how much you _love _her," Paine smirks as she says this. " What? You think I didn't hear what you said? What a sweet heart, saying, '_You have no idea how much I **do**_.' So cute... Anyways we should get going, shouldn't we 'Lai?"

"Yeah, come on." Baralai holds the crook of his arm out. Paine takes it and they walk out.

"So how much do I owe?" inquires Gippal taking out his wallet. For a moment he looks at the bartender and the man looks familiar. His blonde hair clashes with his fairly dark skin. The man is also wearing a pair of goggles, but that's what every Al Bhed wears. He thinks he was on the Celsius once. The bartenders answer surprises him enough that he loses what his thoughts were.

"It's on the house, sir."

"What?! Why?"

"The conversation was interesting enough to pay. Plus can't bear to take money from a broken heart. As a matter a fact here take the rest of this bottle as a painkiller." The bartender holds out the blue liquid filled bottle. Reluctantly Gippal suspiciously takes it.

"Thanks, but I'm not a broken heart, just one who can't make up his mind." Gippal walks out with the bottle tucked under one of his arms.

After he's sure the Faction Leader won't come back, Buddy takes out a personal Comm Sphere and calls Rikku...

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**A/N: I dunno about this chapter it was... OK-ish... hope you guys like it...**


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